Written Answers Tuesday 10 March 2009

Scottish Executive

Bankruptcy

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Accountant in Bankruptcy no longer reports statistics on creditor-led petitions for bankruptcy.

Fergus Ewing: The Accountant in Bankruptcy has never reported on numbers of petitions for bankruptcy as she does not collate this information herself.

  The Accountant in Bankruptcy does, however, collate and report on the number of awards of bankruptcy following both petitions to the court and debtor applications considered by the accountant herself. Information on awards of bankruptcy can be found on the website at www.aib.gov.uk in the annual report or in the quarterly Insolvency Statistics press release.

Bankruptcy

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what creditor-led petitions for bankruptcy were lodged in the last quarter for which information is available, broken down by creditor.

Fergus Ewing: During October to December 2008, creditor-led petitions for bankruptcy were lodged by the following categories of creditors:

  

Councils
HM Revenue and Customs
Businesses
Private Individuals1
Money Lenders2
Other
Total


600
213
191
74
36
4
1,118



  Notes:

  1. May include creditors from other categories where a named individual has been cited as the pursuer in the Scottish Court Service’s electronic Case Management System.

  2. Banks, building societies and credit card companies.

  The information provided has been collected by the Scottish Court Service and cannot be searched electronically. A manual trawl of the 1,118 cases was undertaken in order to provide the figures quoted above, but more detailed information giving the names of individual creditors, where allowed under the Data Protection Act, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Not all petitions presented to the courts result in award of bankruptcy.

Cancer

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) men and (b) women aged (i) under 30, (ii) 30 to 40, (iii) 41 to 50, (iv) 51 to 60, (v) 61 to 70, (vi) 71 to 80 and (vii) over 80 were diagnosed with bowel cancer in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the number of people diagnosed with bowel (colorectal) cancer are available in five year age groups by sex, NHS board and year (from 1980 to 2005) on the Information Services Division website:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=cancer_colorectal_inc.xls&pContentDispositionType=inline.

  The latest year for which cancer registration data are complete is 2005.

  Please note that published data on bowel cancer incidence are provided in five year age bands, which do not correspond exactly to the 10 year bands requested. Published data includes bands such as 40 to 44 and 45 to 49, where 41 to 50 is requested.

Central Heating Programme

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether people being supplied with central heating under the central heating programme will be automatically transferred to the Energy Assistance Package.

Alex Neil: All applicants to the central heating programme will have their application automatically carried over for installation in 2009-10, if they meet the priority requirements that were in place when their application was made.

Central Heating Programme

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether household heating measures undertaken under Stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package will be delivered, from application to completion, in less time than under the central heating programme.

Alex Neil: On the central heating programme, the current average waiting time from application to installation is around six months. At no time since the introduction of the central heating programme, in September 2006, has the waiting time been less than five months.

  While it is not clear, at this stage, what the average waiting time will be on the Energy Assistance Package during 2009-10, the managing agent will do all it can to ensure waiting times are kept to a minimum.

Class Sizes

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average class size was for each secondary school age group in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority.

Keith Brown: This information is not collected centrally.

Communities

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to take forward its community council scheme and a code of conduct for community councillors.

John Swinney: These documents are currently being finalised and should be available shortly.

  Responses to a consultation undertaken by the Scottish Government on behalf of the Community Council Work Group (CCWG) showed that there is substantial support from both local authorities and community councils for a Model Scheme of Establishment of Community Councils and Code of Conduct for Community Councillors.

  The Scottish Government, along with key partners, will promote and encourage the adoption of the finalised documents by all Scottish local authorities. It is recognised that if the Model Scheme is adopted by local authorities it will allow for more consistency and parity throughout Scotland whilst at the same time allowing individual local circumstances to be reflected.

  The Scottish Government recognises the important role, within the wider community empowerment agenda, that community councils can play in local life. Adoption of these documents will also give every community council in Scotland the opportunity to build their capacity and to engage more effectively with their local authority as well as the community that they represent.

Diabetes

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with insulin dependent diabetes receive insulin pump therapy, broken down by NHS board and what percentage change this represents in comparison with (a) 2007 and (b) 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information available, which allows for comparison between September 2007 and February 2009, is given in the following table:

  Comparison of Insulin Pump Allocation September 2007 to February 2009

  

 NHS Board
 September 2007
 February 2009
 Percentage Increase


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2*
 6
 200%


 Borders
 9
 12
 33%


 Dumfries and Galloway
 6
 9
 50%


 Fife
 33
 47
 42%


 Forth Valley
 12
 22
 83%


 Grampian
 22
 46
 109%


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 30
 47
 56%


 Highland
 8
 15
 87.5%


 Lanarkshire
 7*
 32
 357%


 Lothian
 79
 105
 33%


 Orkney
 0
 1
 100%


 Shetland**
 -
 -
 -


 Tayside
 42*
 73
 74%


 Western Isles
 1
 1
 0%


 Scotland
 251
 416
 66%



  Source: NHS Boards’ Diabetes Managed Clinical Networks, February 2009.

  Notes:

  *Estimated figure.

  **NHS Shetland’s insulin pump provision is shared with NHS Grampian.

Direct Payments

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20102 by Shona Robison on 4 February 2009, whether it will review the funding arrangements for Orkney Islands Council to enable its waiting list of direct payment applications to be eased and whether it will consider granting transitional funding in light of the council’s limited scope to make cuts in other areas to fund direct payments.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vast majority of the funding, including the funding for self-directed support, is provided by means of a block grant.

  It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it to achieve agreed outcomes, and the Scottish Government will monitor performance to make sure that our shared national priorities are achieved. It is not for the Scottish Government to intervene in how local authorities organise these services. However, Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney are working with the Scottish Government Joint Improvement Team to look into redesigning services to support more integrated working across health and social care.

  In addition, the Scottish Government is funding three local authority test sites (Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Highland Councils) to evaluate the effectiveness of three different interventions to increase the uptake of self-directed support, including bridging finance (investing to save).

Education

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that creative media industries engage with schools and that media literacy is an integral part of the school curriculum.

Keith Brown: Ofcom defines media literacy as the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts. Curriculum for Excellence identifies literacy skills as a key theme across the curriculum with all teachers having a role in promoting language and literacy development. The experiences and outcomes for literacy capture the range of skills young people will need to engage fully in society and learning in the 21st century, taking account of the changing forms of language and communication. Curriculum for Excellence also facilitates more creative approaches to learning and teaching; the new curriculum framework encourages innovative partnerships with those well placed to support education, enabling schools and authorities to engage in partnership with the creative media industries. Glow (the world’s first national digital network for schools) will support these approaches.

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has met the Scottish Centre for Financial Education Advisory Group to discuss the promotion of money management in schools and on what dates.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Centre for Financial Education (SCFE) is funded by the Scottish Government and the Financial Services Authority. It has a remit to produce financial education teaching resources for schools and to support continuing professional development of teachers through a programme of workshops, seminars and conferences. It also arranges meetings of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education Advisory Group which is an information forum for key organisations in the financial sector in Scotland with an interest in financial education in schools. The Advisory Group has had two meetings since May 2007 (23 November 2007 and 24 June 2008) and many of its membership attended a financial education conference, supported by the SCFE, in December 2008. The promotion of financial education and money management in schools were discussed on all occasions and the Scottish Government was represented at all meetings.

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has met Citizens Advice Scotland to discuss the promotion of money management in schools since 17 May 2007 and on what dates.

Keith Brown: Since May 2007, the Scottish Government has had no meetings with Citizens Advice Scotland to discuss the promotion of money management in schools.

  The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that money management is an integral aspect of every young person’s school education and it is a key element of the numeracy learning experiences and outcomes within Curriculum for Excellence.

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has met the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd to discuss the promotion of money management in schools since 17 May 2007 and on what dates.

Keith Brown: Since May 2007, the Scottish Government has had no meetings with the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd to discuss the promotion of money management in schools.

  The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that money management is an integral aspect of every young person’s school education and it is a key element of the numeracy learning experiences and outcomes within Curriculum for Excellence.

Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average class size was for (a) maths and (b) English in S1 and S2 in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority.

Keith Brown: This information is not generally collected centrally. It was collected in 2007 to measure progress against the previous administration’s target.

  The information is published on the government website at the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/19125551/6.

Energy Efficiency

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the home insulation grants that it makes available to households, either directly or through third parties, outlining (a) what is available in each case, (b) any restrictions on who can apply and (c) whether any cap on the maximum value of the grant offered varies across Scotland to take into account the needs of households in areas with higher installation costs.

Alex Neil: The main vehicle for home insulation measures is through the UK Government’s Carbon Emission Reduction Target. This places an obligation on the Energy Supply companies to meet a carbon reduction target through a range of free and subsidised energy efficiency measures including home insulation. It is for the individual energy companies to decide how to meet their carbon targets. We are working with the energy suppliers, through the Scottish CERT Strategy Steering Group, to ensure that Scotland receives its fair share of CERT activity not only in terms of population, but also to meet our distinctive energy needs.

  The new Energy Assistance package [which commences 6 April 2009] will do more to help rural households by including a wider range of measures which will benefit rural homes including air source heat pumps for those off the gas grid and a wider range of insulation measures for homes which cannot take traditional measures such as cavity wall insulation. To ensure that these more expensive measures can be installed the grant maximum has been raised by £500 to £4,000 and the upper grant has been raised by £1,000 to £6,500 for homes which have particularly poor energy efficiency. The measures will be available to private sector households where; the householder or partner is aged over 60 and has no central heating or where the householder lives in a home with poor energy efficiency, and is either aged over 75 or aged over 60 and receiving one of a range of passport benefits or tax credits. For the first time, families in homes with poor energy efficiency who receive one of a range of passport benefits or tax credits and have a child under five or a disabled child under 16 will also be eligible.

  In the recent budget we announced proposals for the first phase of an ambitious area-based home insulation scheme supported by £15 million of new Scottish Government funding plus £15 million from other sources. The scheme is currently being developed and is expected to launch in the autumn.

  We also intend to bring forward proposals for a significant loan mechanism. This will assist householders wishing to undertake more expensive measures, such as solid wall insulation and installing renewable technologies.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed by ITI (a) Energy, (b) Life Sciences and (c) Techmedia.

Jim Mather: Details of the number of people employed by the ITIs are not held centrally by the Scottish Government but are available from Scottish Enterprise. The relevant contact is Paul Lewis, Managing Director, Industries and Policy.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work carried out by ITI Techmedia will continue to be delivered by Scottish Enterprise from Glasgow.

Jim Mather: The locations for delivery of the work carried out by the ITIs is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. The relevant contact is Paul Lewis, Managing Director, Industries and Policy.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work carried out by ITI Life Sciences will continue to be delivered by Scottish Enterprise from Dundee.

Jim Mather: The locations for delivery of the work carried out by the ITIs is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. The relevant contact is Paul Lewis, Managing Director, Industries and Policy.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work carried out by ITI Energy will continue to be delivered by Scottish Enterprise from Aberdeen.

Jim Mather: The locations for delivery of the work carried out by the ITIs is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. The relevant contact is Paul Lewis, Managing Director, Industries and Policy.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that ozone depleting substances (ODS) contained in building foams in steel-clad buildings that are being demolished are disposed of in such a way as to minimise the environmental impact.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for the safe disposal of plastic foam insulation containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) in steel-clad buildings when these buildings are being demolished.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has made of the quantity of ozone depleting substances (ODS) in steel-clad buildings and the amount of ozone depleting emissions from this source since 2000.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it classifies building foam containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) blowing agents used in steel-clad buildings as hazardous.

Richard Lochhead: The recovery and disposal of CFCs in demolition waste forms part of a European Commission proposal to recast and amend the existing EC Regulation covering the elimination of man-made ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). The Scottish Government is working with the UK Government, SEPA, the Scottish Building Standards Agency, industry and other stakeholders to assess methods for recovery/disposal of materials containing ODSs from buildings that are being demolished.

  Quantifying the amount of embodied ODSs in buildings in the form of building foams is difficult due to lack of clear trade data. Most foams form part of the fabric of existing buildings and as such, the bulk of ODSs used in building foams continue to be locked in the foam. The importance of quantifying the emissions arising from building materials and assessing the level of threat posed is acknowledged. The Scottish Government supports the UK Government’s position that the European Commission is best placed to undertake this work.

  The classification of waste as hazardous or otherwise is not a matter for the Scottish Government. Waste is hazardous if it displays one or more of the hazardous properties listed in Annex III of the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), which replicates almost exactly Annex III of the Hazardous Waste Directive (91/689/EC). Application of these provisions is a matter for SEPA. SEPA gives guidance on the likely hazardous properties of ODS, and similar issues of interest to the construction industry, at:

  http://www.sepa.org.uk/waste/waste_regulation/guidance_and_position_statemen.aspx.

  The Special Waste Regulations 1996, which govern the removal of hazardous waste, are enforced by SEPA. However, a substance does not become waste until it is discarded, or its holder intends to or is required to discard it. Waste regulation is irrelevant to standing buildings: the Waste Framework Directive specifically excludes from its scope "land (in situ) including unexcavated contaminated soil and buildings permanently connected with land". The removal of ODSs for recovery or disposal following demolition is, however, subject to the 1996 Regulations. The safety or otherwise of the act of demolition is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive, a reserved matter.

  The actual disposal or recovery of hazardous waste is also covered by a variety of environmental regulatory regimes, notably the Landfill (Scotland) Regulations 2003, the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, and the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000.

Flooding

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities attended the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill local authority workshop on 8 December 2008.

Roseanna Cunningham: No formal record of attendance was made, however a total of 26 local authorities replied indicating that they would attend the local authority workshop on 8 December 2008.

  Those indicating that they would attend were as follows:

  Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Angus Council, Argyll and Bute Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dundee City Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire Council, East Lothian Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Falkirk Council, Fife Council, Glasgow City Council, Midlothian Council, Moray Council, North Ayrshire Council, Perth and Kinross Council, Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Borders Council, South Ayrshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Stirling Council and West Lothian Council.

Flooding

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make public the discussions of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill local authority workshop on 8 December 2008.

Roseanna Cunningham: The workshop consisted of a presentation giving an update by Scottish Government officials on the progress of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill, and an in-depth section by section briefing of the Bill. As such, no formal minutes were taken.

  The briefing paper and presentation provided can be viewed by following the subsequent links:

  Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill - Local Authority Presentation:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/lapresent/.

  Scottish Government briefing paper: Interaction between SEPA and local authorities in flood risk management planning:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/lapaper.

Forensic Science

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will clarify the situation regarding the Scottish Police Services Authority’s proposed centralisation of forensic services from Edinburgh to Glasgow and Aberdeen to Dundee.

Kenny MacAskill: The provision of police forensic science services is a matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). The SPSA are currently consulting on the future delivery of forensic science services to the north and north east of the country and will shortly be launching a multi-option consultation seeking views from all interested parties. Following the consultation, which is expected to conclude in the summer, the SPSA Board will provide advice to the Scottish Government on how it wishes to proceed.

  There are no plans to move the services currently provided in Edinburgh to Glasgow.

Fuel Poverty

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to extending eligibility for enhanced measures under the Energy Assistance Package to pensioners in receipt of attendance allowance but not the guarantee credit element of pension credit.

Alex Neil: I can confirm that Attendance Allowance is a qualifying benefit for the Energy Assistance Package. Pensioners in the private sector who receive Attendance Allowance will be eligible for enhanced measures under stage 4 of the package if they live in a home with very poor energy efficiency. They would also, like anyone over 60, be eligible if they have never had central heating installed.

Fuel Poverty

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to Her Majesty’s Government in relation to any concerns that the current system of determining cold weather payments, based on postcode areas, does not ensure that all elderly people receive payments when affected by low temperatures.

Alex Neil: I have written to Joan Ruddock asking about arrangements for the next meeting of the UK – wide Ministerial Group on Fuel Poverty and suggesting this issue as a useful topic for discussion at that meeting.

  We have also asked the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum to engage with fuel poverty advisory groups in the other administrations on reserved issues. Their report in October 2008 recommended to the UK Government that a review of both Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments is needed to ensure a better fit with fuel poverty.

Further and Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided sufficient child care discretionary funding to meet demand among student parents at college and university in 2008-09.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided sufficient child care discretionary funding to ensure that child care costs will not be a barrier to any parent who wishes to study at a college or university in 2008-09.

Fiona Hyslop: The purpose of child care discretionary funds is not to meet every demand for the cost of child care from every student. They are intended to provide institutions with a source of additional funding which colleges and universities can then use to assist students with the costs of child care who are in financial difficulty and who are at risk of not completing their courses.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how MSPs will be made aware of the achievement of single outcome agreements relating to health and physical activity in each local authority area.

Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) approach, Councils (for the 2008-09 SOA) and Community Planning Partnerships (for subsequent SOAs) will be expected to report to the Scottish Government and their local communities each year. Reports for 2008-09 will be due in September 2009. These reports will describe progress made towards local outcomes, including those outcomes relating to health and physical activity, and show how this progress contributes to the Scottish Government’s National Outcomes. The Scottish Government will ensure that the reports are made available for scrutiny by Parliament.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been saved as a result of NHS boards sharing services with other NHS boards and public sector organisations.

Nicola Sturgeon: Cash savings of £1.41 million and productivity savings of £1.49 million were made from the NHS Shared Support Services Programme in 2007-08. Further cash savings of £4.34 million will be achieved in 2008-09. These savings are retained by NHS boards for local reinvestment.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been admitted to NHS hospitals for weight loss surgery in each year of the last 10 years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the number of patients admitted to Scottish NHS hospitals for weight loss surgery for the calendar years 1998-2007:

  

 Year
 Number


 1998
 54


 1999
 36


 2000
 44


 2001
 58


 2002
 49


 2003
 65


 2004
 73


 2005
 105


 2006
 146


 2007
 185



  Source ISD.

Health

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the NHS is of having a CT scan taken of a patient’s lung area, including clinical staff time.

Nicola Sturgeon: The average cost of an attendance at an NHSScotland hospital for a CT scan in financial year 2007-08 was £115. No information is held centrally on the specific cost of a CT scan taken of the lung area.

  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs, year ended 31 March 2008.

Health

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the NHS is of having an X-ray taken of a patient’s lung area, including clinical staff time.

Nicola Sturgeon: The cost of taking an X-ray specifically of the patient’s lung area is not held centrally.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is undertaking research into the mechanism of transmission of Clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: Research already undertaken has shown that direct (patient to patient) and indirect (via contaminated environment or third party) contact represents the main routes of transmission of Clostridium difficile.

Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that local authorities comply with section 11 of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003.

Alex Neil: Section 11 of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 requires landlords and creditors to notify local authorities when raising proceedings for possession. The section does not apply directly to local authorities by virtue of section 11(1)(a) and does not place particular requirements on local authorities on receipt of notices.

  The timetable for section 11 coming into force on 1 April 2009 was agreed with COSLA and guidance on the action to be taken when receiving notices has been developed in consultation with local authorities and other stakeholders and is currently available in draft on the Scottish Government’s website. This will be finalised, taking account of further comments from stakeholders, by the end of this month. Broader guidance on the prevention of homelessness, developed jointly with COSLA, will also be published shortly. Scottish Government officials have undertaken a number of awareness raising activities to ensure that landlords, creditors, local authorities, advice agencies and others are aware of section 11 coming into force, including distributing fliers; establishing bespoke web pages, and attending conferences and seminars.

Housing

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made to buy a house under the modernised right to buy in each local authority area since the coming into force of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Alex Neil: The numbers of applications by local authority and housing association sitting tenants to buy a house under the modernised right to buy scheme since the introduction of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 are shown in the following table:

  Table 1: Modernised Terms Applications by Sitting Tenants to buy Local Authority or Housing Association Housing, 2002-03 to 2007-08

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Scotland
 25
 559
 1,187
 1,597
 2,008
 2,038


 Aberdeen City 
 1
 19
 77
 82
 125
 152


 Aberdeenshire
 0
 3
 10
 70
 51
 76


 Angus
 0
 5
 23
 35
 32
 31


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 11
 5
 11
 8
 4


 Clackmannanshire
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2
 0
 5
 18
 31
 5


 Dundee City 
 0
 24
 53
 75
 58
 83


 East Ayrshire
 0
 4
 24
 18
 39
 75


 East Dunbartonshire 
 0
 0
 0
 16
 29
 22


 East Lothian 
 1
 5
 12
 9
 12
 17


 East Renfrewshire 
 0
 3
 10
 20
 2
 6


 Edinburgh, City of
 0
 13
 35
 29
 30
 48


 Eilean Siar
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0
 16


 Falkirk 
 0
 0
 17
 61
 84
 97


 Fife 
 0
 33
 87
 123
 190
 268


 Glasgow City
 11
 41
 80
 100
 99
 126


 Highland 
 0
 4
 25
 35
 32
 19


 Inverclyde 1
 0
 0
 8
 27
 27
 22


 Midlothian 
 0
 3
 11
 11
 12
 14


 Moray
 0
 5
 5
 48
 19
 27


 North Ayrshire
 0
 7
 45
 47
 104
 105


 North Lanarkshire 
 2
 55
 177
 253
 351
 287


 Orkney
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 3


 Perth and Kinross
 0
 7
 11
 14
 17
 11


 Renfrewshire
 5
 232
 314
 228
 225
 176


 Scottish Borders, The
 3
 5
 7
 11
 5
 7


 Shetland
 0
 2
 5
 6
 9
 14


 South Ayrshire
 0
 0
 0
 40
 19
 21


 South Lanarkshire 
 0
 62
 99
 138
 271
 200


 Stirling 
 0
 3
 9
 15
 15
 25


 West Dunbartonshire 
 0
 12
 26
 41
 79
 49


 West Lothian 
 0
 0
 7
 15
 32
 28



  Sources: Scottish Housing Regulator RSL APSR returns 2002-08, Sales1 quarterly returns from local authorities.

  Notes: 1. Data for Inverclyde includes estimates for applications relating to local authority housing due to missing returns between 2004 and 2007.

Housing

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses have been sold in each local authority area under the modernised right to buy since the coming into force of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Alex Neil: The numbers of sales to local authority and housing association sitting tenants under the modernised right to buy scheme since the introduction of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 are shown in the following table:

  Table 1: Modernised Terms Sales to Sitting Tenants of Local Authority or Housing Association Housing, 2002-03 to 2007-08

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Scotland
 4
 80
 247
 363
 403
 345


 Aberdeen City 
 0
 4
 9
 23
 24
 27


 Aberdeenshire
 0
 0
 4
 13
 15
 18


 Angus
 0
 5
 8
 14
 11
 7


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 2
 3
 5
 3
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 0
 4
 5
 10
 5


 Dundee City 
 0
 3
 10
 9
 14
 8


 East Ayrshire
 0
 1
 13
 9
 17
 13


 East Dunbartonshire 
 0
 0
 1
 5
 3
 1


 East Lothian 
 0
 1
 2
 2
 2
 1


 East Renfrewshire 
 0
 2
 0
 3
 0
 1


 Edinburgh, City of
 0
 1
 11
 10
 12
 12


 Eilean Siar
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Falkirk 
 0
 0
 1
 15
 21
 16


 Fife 
 0
 1
 13
 36
 29
 18


 Glasgow City
 0
 13
 23
 25
 31
 29


 Highland 
 0
 0
 11
 7
 12
 8


 Inverclyde 1
 0
 0
 9
 23
 15
 12


 Midlothian 
 0
 0
 2
 2
 1
 6


 Moray
 0
 0
 2
 3
 5
 5


 North Ayrshire
 0
 3
 6
 10
 11
 20


 North Lanarkshire 
 1
 6
 32
 44
 57
 45


 Orkney
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Perth and Kinross
 0
 5
 7
 4
 7
 3


 Renfrewshire
 0
 7
 24
 31
 36
 17


 Scottish Borders, The
 3
 5
 7
 2
 2
 1


 Shetland
 0
 0
 0
 1
 3
 3


 South Ayrshire
 0
 2
 10
 13
 3
 4


 South Lanarkshire 
 0
 15
 23
 28
 35
 31


 Stirling 
 0
 2
 3
 3
 5
 9


 West Dunbartonshire 
 0
 1
 5
 12
 9
 12


 West Lothian 
 0
 0
 4
 6
 10
 10



  Sources: Scottish Housing Regulator RSL APSR returns 2002 -2008, Sales1 quarterly returns from local authorities.

  Notes: 1. Data for Inverclyde includes estimates for sales relating to local authority housing due to missing returns between 2004 and 2007.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to implement the recommendation of the Housing Supply Task Force to investigate existing models of delivery coordination within the United Kingdom to support development plan action programmes.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is carefully considering how it can respond to the various recommendations addressed to it in the Housing Supply Task Force report. Planning Circular 1/2009, published on 16 February, provides planning authorities with advice on the production of development plan action programmes.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that legal safeguards for householders facing repossession are robust.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has taken a number of measures to ensure that there is adequate legal protection for home owners facing repossession.

  We have established a Repossessions Group, comprising representatives of the legal system, lenders, advice agencies and consumer interests. The group has been asked to provide advice to ministers by 30 April 2009 on whether the legal protection for homeowners in Scotland at risk of repossession provided through UK and Scottish legislation is adequate. If required, the group has been asked to make specific recommendations on ways in which either reserved or devolved legislation should be strengthened.

  We are also improving access to legal advice and legal aid for those facing repossession, debt and other financial difficulties. We have made an additional £3 million available over the next two years to expand our in-court advice and other legal advice services, and we have agreed to increase the disposable income limits for civil legal aid, so that over a million more Scots can become potentially eligible from this spring.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that financial safeguards for householders facing repossession are robust.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has taken a number of non-legislative measures to protect home owners in financial difficulty.

  The £35 million Home Owners Support Fund helps those who cannot access support elsewhere to stay in their homes through the Mortgage to Rent and Mortgage to Shared equity schemes. The report of the evaluation of the Mortgage to Rent scheme was published in January on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/11115931/0, and a revised scheme will be launched on 16 March, alongside the new Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme.

  We have also funded a £400,000 awareness raising campaign for National Debtline, including TV and online advertising, to encourage people to tackle debt problems at an early stage. An evaluation of the campaign is underway.

  We are providing an additional £1 million to Citizens Advice to increase the capacity of face to face debt advice services.

  The Scottish Government’s Repossessions Group will also consider whether any further legislative or non-legislative measures could be taken to protect home owners at risk of repossession.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that local authorities have support systems in place for householders facing repossession.

Alex Neil: From 1 April 2009, under section 11 of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003, lenders will be required to inform the relevant local authority when they call in a mortgage or take court action for repossession. This will give authorities early notice of households who might be at risk of homelessness and allow them to provide appropriate advice and assistance. We are also developing new guidance for local authorities on prevention of homelessness which will be published by the end of March. The 1 April implementation date for the introduction of section 11, and the guidance on prevention, have both been agreed with COSLA to ensure that local authorities are appropriately prepared.

  In addition, mortgage rescue schemes (Mortgage to Rent and Mortgage to Shared Equity) are operated nationally by the Scottish Government under the £35 million Home Owners Support Fund. Scottish local authorities with social landlord functions may participate in Mortgage to Rent, purchasing homes from people eligible for the scheme and providing a tenancy in return.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to record and monitor housing support services provided by local authorities.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government published annual statistical information from local authorities on housing support services delivered under the Supporting People programme. Following the end of the programme, we consulted with local authorities and other stakeholders on the continuing need for this statistical information and the practical issues of obtaining it.

  We will shortly publish the responses to the consultation and a decision on future reporting.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that information on housing support services provided by local authorities is made available.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government makes available information on housing support services provided by both local authorities and other providers on the House Key website:

  www.thehousekey.org.

  The site aims to provide good quality information about housing support services throughout Scotland for both service users, providers and housing and social care professionals. It includes a Directory of Housing Support Services, divided into housing support services; sheltered and retirement housing, and home adaptation and repair services.

  The Scottish Government published annual statistical information from local authorities on housing support services delivered under the Supporting People programme. Following the end of the programme, we consulted with local authorities and other stakeholders on the continuing need for this statistical information and the practical issues of obtaining it.

  We will shortly publish the responses to the consultation and a decision on future reporting.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fully registered social landlords entered into a remodelled management agreement with Glasgow Housing Association in 2006 and how many houses were covered by each agreement.

Alex Neil: Twenty-four registered social landlords entered into a Remodelled Management Agreement (RMA) with Glasgow Housing Association in 2006 covering a total of 34 local housing organisation areas.

  A list of these registered social landlords and their LHO partners is provided, containing stock numbers covered by each agreement.

  RSLs with Sub Committee LHOs

  

 RSL
 LHO
 LHO Stock Number


 Ardenglen HA
 Ardenglen HA LHO
 277


 Blairtummock HA
 Blairtummock LHO
 186


 Blairtummock HA
 Rogerfield LHO
 293


 Calvay HA
 Stepforward LHO
 403


 Cathcart HA
 Cathcart HA LHO
 306


 Cernach HA
 Cernach HA LHO
 605


 Gardeen H Co-op
 Gardeen H Co-op LHO
 92


 Glasgow West HA
 Argyle LHO (Anderston)
 520


 Glasgow West HA
 Hyndland LHO
 139


 Glen Oaks HA
 Glen Oaks HA LHO (Darnley)
 363


 Glen Oaks HA
 Glen Oaks HA LHO (Pollok)
 644


 Govanhill HA
 Govanhill HA LHO
 632


 Govanhill HA
 Merrylee LHO
 147


 Maryhill HA
 Maryhill LHO
 2,668


 Milnbank HA
 Milnbank HA LHO
 907


 New Gorbals HA
 New Gorbals HA LHO
 2,415


 North Glasgow HA 
 North Glasgow HA LHO (including Balgrayhill TMC)
 1,124


 North Glasgow HA 
 Balmore LHO
 1,362


 North Glasgow HA 
 Red Road Balornock LHO
 2,055


 Parkhead HA
 Cross View LHO
 311


 Pineview H Co-op 
 Pineview H Co-op LHO
 299


 Provanhall HA
 Provanhall LHO
 199


 Queens Cross HA
 Queens Cross HA LHO (Burnbank, Cromwell, Dundas)
 806


 Queens Cross HA
 Queens Cross HA LHO (Hamiltonhill)
 819


 Queens Cross HA
 Queens Cross HA LHO (South Maryhill)
 1,177


 Shettleston HA
 Shettleston HA LHO
 902


 Southside HA 
 Pollokshields TMC LHO
 532


 Southside HA 
 Halfway LHO
 439


 Southside HA 
 Cardonald Triangle LHO
 537


 Thenew HA
 Holmbyre LHO
 160


 Tollcross HA
 Tollcross Area
 1,811


 Wellhouse H Co-op
 Wellhouse Tenants Direct LHO
 499


 Whiteinch & Scotstoun HA
 Whiteinch & Scotstoun HA LHO
 335


 Yorkhill HA
 Yorkhill HA LHO
 172


 
 
 24,136



  Thirty-four RSL sub-committee LHOs.

  Twenty-four RSLs have sub-committee LHOs.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how and when Scottish ministers, or the Scottish Housing Regulator on behalf of ministers, fulfilled the commitment to consult with each of the 64 registered social landlords or management-only local housing organisations in year two of the operation of their remodelled management agreements with Glasgow Housing Association.

Alex Neil: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of The Scottish Housing Regulator, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The first set of directions was issued in April 2006 under section 68A of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. At that time, we said that we would carry out a review in year two of their operation. We issued a consultation paper on the terms of our review in January 2009, and it is now underway.

  It would not have been appropriate to carry out our review of the directions and Remodelled Management Agreement (RMA) until now. When we inspected Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) in 2007, we recommended that it carry out a fundamental review of its purpose and direction. It has been important for us to take account of GHA’s emerging proposals for future tenant empowerment and its progress with Second Stage Transfer when considering our proposals for the future management of directions.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the processes and timescales set out by the Glasgow Housing Association and the Scottish Housing Regulator for reviewing and, thereafter, directing the extension of remodelled management agreements with registered social landlords in the regulator’s guidance of January 2009.

Alex Neil: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Housing Regulator to set out the process and the timescale for reviewing the remodelled management agreement.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescales were for achieving a ballot in each of the three groups of initiatives approved by the Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) Board in October 2007 and whether Scottish ministers and the Scottish Housing Regulator are content with the progress and timescales set by the GHA for its programme of second-stage transfers.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the progress made by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) on the second-stage transfer (SST) programme approved by its board in October 2007 and the timescales for SST initiatives detailed in the comprehensive improvement plan submitted by the GHA to the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Alex Neil: The timescales set out by the GHA Board in October 2007 have been subject to discussion with the Local Housing Organisations pursuing second stage transfer. No detailed timescales were set for ballots in October 2007, only estimated timescales for the submission of business plans from purchasers in three diets (but no future diets).

  Progress with each SST is a matter for GHA and the respective Local Housing Organisation. The timescales need to be realistic and reflect a pace of activity which both parties can meet.

  The Scottish Executive welcomes the first five transfers which are due to take place later this month and is keen to see this momentum maintained.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any delays in the timescales set out by the Deputy First Minister for the submission of the comprehensive improvement plan by Glasgow Housing Association to the Scottish Housing Regulator in response to the critical inspection report of June 2007.

Alex Neil: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of The Scottish Housing Regulator, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  We published our report on our inspection of Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) on 18 September 2007. In accordance with our published guidance, we required GHA to submit an improvement plan to us within eight weeks of publication of the report. An initial version of the plan was submitted within this timescale, on 13 November 2007.

  We provided GHA with our comments on the plan, as is usual practice. GHA produced subsequent revisions and a final version was submitted on 1 February 2008. This version of the plan was then agreed by us.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is providing written comment and direction on Glasgow Housing Association’s consultation draft 2009-10 business plan, Above and Beyond - Shaping a New Vision for GHA , and whether Scottish ministers were consulted before the draft was circulated.

Alex Neil: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing wrote directly to GHA on 9 February 2009, providing comments on GHA’s consultation draft Business Plan 2009-2010, Above and Beyond.  Earlier drafts were made available to ministers.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for negotiating and agreeing revised management agreements between Glasgow Housing Association and local housing organisations and what the process is for consultation on this.

Alex Neil: I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of The Scottish Housing Regulator, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In January 2009, the Scottish Housing Regulator issued a consultation paper setting out the proposed terms of its review of directions issued under section 68A of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. The paper sets out proposals for issuing new directions to Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and local housing organisations (LHOs) when their current management arrangements come to an end between April and September 2009.

  We asked GHA, the LHOs and other interested parties to give feedback on our proposals by 27 February. We are currently considering this feedback and will issue our final proposals by the end of March.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to the transfer of all Glasgow Housing Association stock to local tenant organisations.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Executive welcomes progress with current Second Stage Transfers and would expect Glasgow Housing Association to continue to offer all tenants an opportunity in the future to consider community ownership when the time is right and it can be sensibly achieved.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an option for remodelled management agreements to lead on to community ownership.

Alex Neil: The Remodelled Management Agreements currently give Local Housing Organisations preferred bidder status to bring forward second stage transfer proposals. Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) could continue to offer preferred bidder status if Remodelled Management Agreements do not continue to exist. The Scottish Government has asked GHA to give serious consideration to the future opportunities for community ownership and set out how that will be worked into its strategy.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Scottish ministers have to give directions to Glasgow Housing Association.

Alex Neil: Scottish ministers have the power to direct Glasgow Housing Association to delegate a specified range of housing management functions to Registered Social Landlords/Local Housing Organisations under section 68A of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. This is a time limited power and will end in 2011.

  Scottish ministers issued the first set of directions and have delegated the exercise of the power to the Scottish Housing Regulator who will issue any future directions as appropriate.

Housing

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it plans to help housing associations overcome the situation that arises when the Scottish Government assumes a higher level of rent for the calculation of Housing Association Grant than private funders use when calculating mortgage for the same units, thus leaving a shortfall that leads to restrictions on new developments.

Alex Neil: Scottish Government does not prescribe the actual rents a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) should charge, but for appraisal purposes we assume a benchmark rent in our grant calculation as we have a responsibility to ensure public money is used in the most efficient and effective fashion. This is a national benchmark and it is based on assessed affordability to a household with a single earner on the national minimum wage. Some RSLs choose to charge lower rents than others. Where an RSL chooses to charge actual rents below our benchmark assumption then it could have difficulty in raising the necessary private finance.

Junior Doctors

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there were for junior doctor posts as of February 2009 and how many there were in each of the preceding four years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Junior doctor training posts fall into two broad categories: Two Year Foundation Programmes, introduced in 2005, followed by Speciality Training Programmes, introduced in 2007. For both categories, training programmes commence in August each year and the selection and recruitment processes are therefore designed to fill vacancies before that date.

  Information on vacancies broken down by NHS board is not centrally available because recruitment to training programmes is managed on a regional basis, with junior doctors subsequently rotating across sites as they progress through their programmes. Regional data available from NHS Education for Scotland are as follows.

  Foundation Programme Vacancies

  Posts have remained at around 800 each year since 2005, split by Postgraduate Deanery region as follows:

  

Region
Number


North
13


South East
186


East
93


West
390



  As for previous years, all posts for 2009 have been offered and accepted. Subject to unexpected withdrawals, no vacancies are expected from August 2009.

  Specialty Training Vacancies

  Recruitment prior to 2007, to what were then Senior House Officer and Specialty Registrar posts, was managed locally by NHS boards and regional data are therefore not available before then. Annual post figures by Postgraduate Deanery region since 2007 are:

  

Year
East
North
South East
West


2007
184
294
471
1,256


2008
96
151
270
736


2009
84
128
182
517



  Interviews for, and offers of, Speciality Training posts are currently under way and it is therefore too early to say whether all 2009 vacancies will be filled in the first instance. Any remaining vacancies at the end of the current interview schedule will be re-advertised in good time to ensure that any continuing vacancies in August are kept to a minimum.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what training judges and sheriffs were given in the last two years on the needs of vulnerable witnesses and on measures in place to address those needs.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20813 on 6 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to recover unpaid fiscal fines in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriffdom.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Court Service assumed responsibility for collection and enforcement of fiscal penalties (fines, compensation and a combination of both) as of 10 March 2008. The responsibility for collecting fiscal fines previously lay with the District Courts.

  The detailed information requested (from 10 March 2008) is currently being collated. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 47853).

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that individuals and families who have experienced a homicide in their homes are informed of the assistance available to meet any associated cleaning costs.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government publishes an information pack for families bereaved by homicide, which explains the legal system as well as giving advice on practicalities and on sources of support and help. The pack is normally given to families by police Family Liaison Officers. A revised version of the pack will be published soon and will contain information about the help available for cleaning homes.

  In addition, support organisations such as Victim Support Scotland and People Experiencing Trauma and Loss have been kept apprised of developments, and will be able to pass on information about the help available for cleaning homes to the families that they support.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities and housing associations are aware of their responsibilities in meeting the costs of cleaning homes where a homicide has occurred.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is working with the Chartered Institute for Housing (CIH) Scotland to publish, in April 2009, guidance advising housing providers of their responsibilities in the aftermath of a homicide or other serious incident. The Scottish Government is funding a one day seminar that will be held to coincide with the publication of the guidance.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that insurance companies assist clients in privately owned or privately rented accommodation with the costs of cleaning their home in the event that a homicide has occurred.

Kenny MacAskill: The terms of insurance policies are matters between individuals and insurance companies. Insurance companies are regulated by the Financial Services Authority, and if a customer is dissatisfied with the way an insurer deals with their claim they can refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Consequently, the Scottish Government does not have powers to compel insurance companies to make payments in individual cases.

  However, the Association of British Insurers, following discussions with the Scottish Government, has provided advice to insurance companies about dealing with claims relating to cleaning homes after homicide. This guidance cannot override the terms and conditions in an insurance policy that may be relevant in a particular case.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals and families in privately owned or privately rented accommodation will be assisted in meeting cleaning costs in the event that a homicide has occurred in their homes and their insurance does not cover this.

Kenny MacAskill: As announced on 8 February 2009, the police will meet the costs of decontamination and cleaning after a homicide when these costs cannot be met by a landlord or by an insurer.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost will be to police forces of cleaning homes where a homicide has occurred, in the absence of any other provision.

Kenny MacAskill: Any costs associated with cleaning and decontamination following a homicide that fall to the police will be absorbed within existing police budgets. There is no estimate of the costs involved as these will vary depending on the location and on the extent of the work required.

Manufacturing

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many manufacturing jobs there were in each year since 1999, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Jim Mather: Information on the number of employee jobs in the manufacturing sector is collected each year from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI), which is the official source of employee jobs data. The ABI is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The most recent year for which data is available is 2007. The ABI does not include self-employed jobs.

  Table 1 shows the number of employee jobs in the manufacturing sector by parliamentary constituency in each year since 1999. Due to changes in survey methodology, data for 1999 to 2005 is not directly comparable with data for 2006 to 2007.

  Table 1: Employee Jobs in the Manufacturing Industry by Scottish Parliamentary Constituency, 1999-2007

  

Parliamentary Constituency
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007


 Aberdeen Central
 2,900
 2,900
 2,500
 2,800
 1,900
 1,800
 2,000
 1,600
 1,900


 Aberdeen North
 8,300
 8,000
 9,100
 8,000
 6,400
 6,700
 7,000
 7,500
 7,600


 Aberdeen South
 4,200
 3,900
 3,700
 3,700
 3,300
 3,300
 3,500
 3,000
 3,400


 Airdrie and Shotts
 2,800
 3,000
 2,800
 2,900
 3,100
 2,300
 1,500
 1,600
 1,700


 Angus
 4,600
 5,200
 3,700
 3,400
 3,800
 3,600
 3,200
 3,200
 3,300


 Argyll and Bute
 1,500
 1,300
 1,300
 1,300
 1,300
 1,500
 1,100
 1,200
 1,200


 Ayr
 5,500
 4,500
 4,500
 4,200
 3,700
 4,500
 4,500
 4,200
 4,500


 Banff and Buchan
 6,100
 6,500
 5,800
 5,100
 5,300
 5,500
 6,100
 5,300
 5,000


 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
 3,600
 2,900
 3,600
 4,000
 3,200
 3,400
 2,900
 3,000
 3,000


 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
 4,300
 3,400
 2,600
 2,900
 2,400
 2,300
 2,200
 2,000
 1,900


 Central Fife
 10,200
 9,300
 9,800
 9,000
 7,800
 7,400
 7,100
 7,100
 6,700


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 2,900
 2,000
 2,300
 2,000
 2,700
 2,600
 2,600
 2,600
 1,500


 Clydesdale
 3,800
 2,900
 2,100
 1,700
 1,700
 1,600
 1,700
 1,700
 1,700


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 2,500
 2,200
 2,400
 2,200
 2,000
 2,100
 2,300
 2,200
 2,200


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 5,100
 4,200
 4,100
 3,500
 3,400
 3,100
 3,000
 2,800
 3,600


 Cunninghame North
 2,600
 2,400
 2,700
 2,500
 2,100
 2,000
 1,900
 1,900
 2,100


 Cunninghame South
 7,700
 6,900
 7,000
 5,600
 5,300
 4,700
 4,500
 3,900
 3,600


 Dumbarton
 3,300
 2,700
 2,400
 2,400
 1,300
 1,200
 1,200
 1,100
 1,800


 Dumfries
 6,400
 6,800
 7,000
 5,900
 5,300
 4,800
 5,200
 4,800
 4,800


 Dundee East
 4,800
 4,900
 5,000
 4,400
 4,400
 4,400
 4,300
 3,700
 3,700


 Dundee West
 6,500
 6,200
 6,000
 4,800
 5,400
 5,800
 4,800
 4,900
 3,900


 Dunfermline East
 8,800
 8,400
 7,100
 6,900
 4,100
 5,100
 4,800
 4,800
 4,900


 Dunfermline West
 3,500
 3,500
 3,100
 3,400
 4,700
 3,600
 3,100
 2,500
 2,200


 East Kilbride
 11,200
 10,500
 10,800
 10,100
 9,800
 8,900
 9,000
 8,100
 8,100


 East Lothian
 2,200
 2,400
 2,500
 2,600
 1,800
 1,600
 1,600
 1,600
 1,500


 Eastwood
 1,400
 1,400
 1,800
 1,400
 1,300
 1,300
 1,000
 1,000
 900


 Edinburgh Central
 3,700
 3,500
 3,300
 2,700
 2,500
 2,400
 2,100
 2,400
 2,300


 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
 1,500
 1,200
 1,300
 1,300
 1,900
 2,000
 1,700
 1,600
 1,500


 Edinburgh North and Leith
 6,300
 5,600
 4,900
 5,300
 4,200
 5,200
 4,700
 4,600
 4,500


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 3,000
 2,900
 3,100
 2,600
 2,400
 2,100
 2,000
 2,100
 1,200


 Edinburgh South
 600
 800
 800
 800
 700
 700
 700
 600
 600


 Edinburgh West
 8,000
 7,000
 5,000
 4,800
 3,500
 2,400
 2,400
 2,100
 1,900


 Falkirk East
 7,100
 6,700
 6,100
 6,300
 5,800
 5,900
 5,200
 5,500
 5,900


 Falkirk West
 5,000
 5,400
 4,900
 3,800
 3,500
 3,300
 2,900
 3,200
 3,400


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 3,400
 3,500
 3,700
 3,000
 3,000
 2,600
 3,100
 2,700
 2,600


 Glasgow Anniesland
 1,100
 1,500
 1,500
 1,600
 1,900
 1,400
 1,400
 1,400
 1,500


 Glasgow Baillieston
 2,800
 2,600
 2,500
 2,000
 1,100
 1,000
 900
 800
 700


 Glasgow Cathcart
 2,600
 2,300
 2,200
 1,900
 1,900
 1,700
 1,400
 1,200
 1,300


 Glasgow Govan
 4,400
 5,200
 5,200
 4,600
 4,600
 4,900
 3,300
 3,200
 3,100


 Glasgow Kelvin
 7,800
 7,400
 7,600
 7,000
 6,200
 5,800
 7,600
 8,000
 7,700


 Glasgow Maryhill
 2,800
 2,400
 2,400
 2,100
 1,900
 1,600
 1,700
 1,700
 1,900


 Glasgow Pollok
 2,600
 2,100
 1,800
 1,500
 1,200
 1,200
 1,300
 1,300
 1,300


 Glasgow Rutherglen
 2,900
 5,700
 2,300
 2,200
 2,900
 2,800
 2,700
 2,800
 2,800


 Glasgow Shettleston
 5,500
 4,700
 5,300
 5,200
 4,800
 4,400
 4,600
 4,400
 4,500


 Glasgow Springburn
 1,500
 1,800
 1,600
 1,500
 1,600
 1,000
 1,100
 1,000
 1,000


 Gordon
 4,400
 4,400
 3,500
 3,800
 3,500
 3,400
 3,600
 3,900
 4,000


 Greenock and Inverclyde
 7,200
 6,200
 5,600
 4,200
 2,600
 1,800
 1,600
 1,700
 1,400


 Hamilton North and Bellshill
 10,600
 9,700
 9,100
 8,400
 6,400
 7,000
 7,500
 8,400
 7,100


 Hamilton South
 2,200
 2,100
 1,800
 2,100
 2,200
 2,200
 2,200
 2,200
 2,100


 Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
 4,200
 3,200
 4,500
 5,500
 5,000
 4,400
 4,600
 4,800
 4,500


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 5,900
 5,500
 5,200
 4,800
 4,700
 3,700
 3,500
 3,800
 4,200


 Kirkcaldy
 4,100
 4,500
 3,900
 3,300
 2,800
 2,300
 1,800
 2,000
 2,100


 Linlithgow
 7,100
 8,700
 7,300
 3,200
 3,400
 4,100
 3,600
 3,500
 3,400


 Livingston
 8,500
 9,300
 9,600
 9,500
 8,600
 9,100
 8,800
 7,900
 7,600


 Midlothian
 2,800
 2,700
 2,400
 2,500
 2,200
 2,000
 1,900
 1,800
 1,800


 Moray
 5,000
 4,600
 4,400
 4,600
 4,700
 4,800
 4,800
 4,800
 5,000


 Motherwell and Wishaw
 2,700
 2,900
 2,600
 2,200
 2,900
 2,500
 2,900
 2,700
 3,000


 North East Fife
 2,000
 1,900
 2,600
 2,600
 2,600
 2,700
 2,500
 1,600
 1,700


 North Tayside
 4,000
 4,100
 3,400
 3,500
 3,800
 4,200
 3,500
 3,400
 3,200


 Ochil
 4,300
 4,600
 4,300
 3,900
 3,400
 3,300
 3,300
 3,600
 3,400


 Orkney and Shetland*
 1,700
 1,600
 1,300
 1,200
 1,300
 1,600
 1,500
 1,300
 1,300


 Paisley North
 8,800
 8,100
 8,400
 6,400
 6,900
 6,300
 7,000
 6,000
 5,700


 Paisley South
 2,300
 1,900
 2,100
 2,500
 1,600
 1,700
 1,000
 900
 900


 Perth
 2,200
 2,400
 1,900
 2,100
 2,400
 2,600
 2,300
 2,400
 2,500


 Ross, Skye and Inverness West
 1,800
 1,600
 1,400
 1,500
 1,700
 1,400
 1,100
 1,500
 1,600


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 6,300
 5,600
 5,300
 5,100
 4,700
 5,100
 4,700
 4,400
 4,600


 Stirling
 1,900
 1,500
 1,500
 1,000
 1,100
 1,500
 1,400
 1,500
 1,500


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 2,800
 2,400
 2,500
 2,000
 2,200
 2,100
 2,200
 2,200
 2,400


 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
 3,800
 2,800
 2,600
 2,300
 2,600
 2,400
 2,000
 1,900
 1,700


 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
 2,200
 2,200
 2,300
 2,900
 2,700
 2,300
 3,400
 3,300
 3,400


 West Renfrewshire
 6,100
 6,400
 3,400
 4,800
 3,600
 3,000
 3,200
 3,500
 3,800


 Western Isles
 800
 700
 800
 600
 800
 800
 800
 700
 600


 Scotland
 315,000
 302,000
 285,000
 263,400
 243,300
 235,900
 229,700
 224,000
 220,900



  Source: Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) (ONS).

  Notes:

  1. The reference date for the ABI from 2006 was changed from December to September.

  2. Data are rounded to the nearest 100.

  3. ABI data are workplace based.

  *It has not been possible to analyse Orkney and Shetland separately. The data has been obtained from the Nomis website, as the microdata are not held centrally.

Ministerial Costs

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation or other payments junior Scottish ministers are entitled to on resigning their posts.

John Swinney: In accordance with Article 6 of The Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Grants to Members and Officeholders) Order Statutory Instrument (SI) 1999/1081, junior ministers in the Scottish Government are entitled to a severance grant of one quarter of their final salary. This is payable provided they do not again become a holder of a relevant office within a period of three weeks after resignation.

Ministerial Meetings

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contacts there have been between Scottish ministers and officers of the Toscafund.

John Swinney: There has been no contact between any Scottish minister and officers of Toscafund.

NHS Finance

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value has been of (a) the formula capital allocation and (b) each allocation in real terms for NHS (i) Highland, (ii) Orkney, (iii) Shetland, (iv) Western Isles and (v) Grampian in each year since 2005-06.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20837 on 6 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the process for evaluating and implementing new telehealth products for use in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: Telehealth has great potential to help patients and NHS staff. New telehealth products require the same evaluation as any other health technology, i.e. a Health Technology Assessment*. Implementation in the NHS would be driven by the same policy considerations as guide the implementation of any other new technology.

  In developing and proving a telehealth application, a number of steps are required in order to show that the application is ethical, legal, feasible, acceptable to the users, safe, and finally clinically and cost effective. The early stages are normally carried out in the laboratory, pilot trials are then done which involve patients or volunteers, and then clinical trials with patients are carried out to assess the costs and benefits.

  Note: *Health Technology Assessments apply to all interventions used to promote health, prevent and treat disease, and improve rehabilitation and long-term care including:

  Drugs: such as antidepressants, contraceptives, antibiotics;

  Devices: such as pacemakers, dialysis machines, hearing aids;

  Procedures: such as surgical techniques, acupuncture, counselling;

  Settings of care: such as general practice, hospitals, care homes, and

  Screening: for cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, stroke.

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance will be given to podiatrists to assist with investment in the Decontamination of podiatry instruments in line with the recommendations in Sterile Services Provision Review Group: First Report - The Glennie Framework .

Nicola Sturgeon: The provision of NHS services including podiatry services, is a matter for NHS boards. NHS boards have a responsibility for allocating resources for NHS services in line with local and national priorities.

Nuclear Power

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the Nuclear Industry Association’s application to justify new nuclear power stations, either in accordance with justification regulations or otherwise and, if so, what response it has made or intends to make.

Jim Mather: Scottish Government officials are in regular discussions with officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the justification process and are being kept updated on its progress.

  The position of the Scottish Government with regard to new nuclear power stations is well known and that position is understood by the UK government. It was also made clear in our formal response to the UK Government Consultation on the Future of Nuclear power in November 2007.

Parenting

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of fathers who have claimed statutory paternity pay in each year since 2003, broken down by local authority.

Alex Neil: Information on the number of fathers claiming statutory paternity pay is not held by the Scottish Government.

  The Department for Work and Pensions have collected some information about the proportion of new fathers taking paternity leave and claiming statutory paternity pay at a UK level:

  Maternity and Paternity Rights and Benefits: Survey of Parents 2005:

  http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file27446.pdf.

Planning

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is content with the scope of the Beauly Denny Public Inquiry now that it has received the final report.

Jim Mather: The Report of the Beauly Denny Public Inquiry was submitted to the Scottish Government on 18 February 2009. Ministers are now considering the report and aim to take a decision by the end of December 2009. Until that decision is made it would be inappropriate to comment any further.

Police

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers it expects to be in post or to have completed training and be ready to take up a post by December 2009 and how this compares with the figure as at May 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: On 5 March Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, announced that the Scottish Government was undertaking a police force projection study. We intend to publish the results within the next few weeks.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times a Taser gun has been used (a) on a child and (b) within 10 metres of a child in each of the last two years, broken down by police authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: (a) Taser guns have never been used on a child in Scotland.

  (b) No statistics are available to show whether Taser guns have been used within 10 metres of a child.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first notified by Paddy Tompkins, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, of his intention to stand down at the end of his term.

Kenny MacAskill: Mr Tomkins notified the Cabinet Secretary for Justice of his intention to stand down in a letter on 21 November 2008.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the appointment of Paddy Tompkins as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, on what date (a) the recruitment process began, (b) the first recruitment advertisement was placed, (c) he was officially notified of his appointment and (d) he took up office.

Kenny MacAskill: (a) The recruitment process began in May 2006. (b) The first advert was placed on 2 June 2006. (c) Mr Tomkins’ appointment was officially confirmed on 15 December 2006. (d) Mr Tomkins took up office on 29 March 2007.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it expects the number of serving police officers to reach 17,265 if recruitment continues at the average rate experienced since May 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: On 5 March Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister, announced that the Scottish Government was undertaking a police force projection study. We intend to publish the results within the next few weeks.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Quarterly Police Strength Statistics published on 3 March 2009 showing that police strength figures in (a) Central Scotland Police, (b) Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and (c) Tayside Police decreased in the latest quarter, what action it will take to ensure that these figures increase in the next quarter.

Kenny MacAskill: Police officer recruitment is a matter for police authorities and chief constables.

  The Scottish Government has given police authorities the resources to recruit 1,000 additional officers and as recent figures have shown they are well on course with that recruitment. We are carrying out a study to project how many police officers there will be by May 2011, and we will publish this within the next few weeks.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has advertised for a replacement HM Inspector of Prisons for Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: The post of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons was advertised on Friday 6 March 2009.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first notified by Dr Andrew McLellan, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, of his intention to stand down at the end of his term.

Kenny MacAskill: Dr McLellan’s Royal Warrant of appointment and terms of employment specify a retirement age of 65. No further notification was required. Dr McLellan will retire in June 2009.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the appointment of Dr Andrew McLellan as HM Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, on what date (a) the recruitment process began, (b) the first recruitment advertisement was placed, (c) he was officially notified of his appointment and (d) he took up office.

Kenny MacAskill: Details about the start of the last recruitment round are no longer available; the advert appeared on 11 January 2002; Dr McLellan was appointed formally on 24 July 2002; he took up the position on 28 October 2002.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a replacement HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland to be in post.

Kenny MacAskill: The open recruitment competition began on Friday 6 March 2009. It will be completed when a suitable candidate is selected and appointed.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20864 by Kenny MacAskill on 4 March 2009, what the anticipated timescale is for the opening of the proposed HMP Highland.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Before the proposed HMP Highland opens, the Scottish Prison Service needs to select and acquire a suitable site, obtain planning permission for the proposed development, conduct a procurement process for the design and construction of the prison and then prepare the prison for operation. These steps will take a number of years, with the date of opening being largely dependent on the time required to acquire a site and secure planning permission. A target date for HMP Highland opening will be set following completion of these key stages.

Prison Service

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in considering the transfer of responsibility for prisoners’ health care from the Scottish Prison Service to the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am pleased to announce that, John Ross, former Chair of NHS Dumfries and Galloway has accepted an invitation to Chair the National Programme Board for Prisoners’ Healthcare.

  The new board will oversee and steer the preparatory work, and the eventual operational transfer of the responsibility of the primary healthcare services from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to health boards. Membership of the board will comprise NHS and SPS senior staff, NHS and SPS staff organisations, Scottish Government staff and representatives of service users.

Public Transport

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages amending procurement plans to require public transport providers to purchase low emission vehicles.

Stewart Stevenson: Yes. A Scottish sustainable procurement action plan to support the public sector’s move to more sustainable behaviour is currently in development. The EU Energy Services Directive and forthcoming Cleaner and More Efficient Vehicles Directive will require public authorities and certain public transport providers to take into account energy efficiency and environmental impacts when purchasing road transport vehicles.

  In addition, we are currently investigating ways of making the Bus Service Operators Grant scheme more environmentally focused by encouraging operator investment in cleaner and more efficient vehicles. We will consult with stakeholders in due course as proposals are developed.

Regeneration

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20307 by John Swinney on 10 February 2009, whether it will provide a revenue and capital breakdown of the £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund for 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The Town Centre Regeneration Fund will be a capital fund.

Regeneration

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria will be for applications for funding from the £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the £60 million announced for the Town Centre Regeneration Fund is spent on town centre regeneration.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what formula will be used to allocate the £60 million announced for town centre regeneration.

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Town Centre Regeneration Fund will be available to Business Improvement Districts.

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive by what means local authorities and others can access the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20618 on 26 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Regeneration

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which section of the Scottish Government will oversee the allocation of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

Alex Neil: Regeneration Division within the Housing and Regeneration Directorate is at present considering the detail of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, including provision for administration and allocation.

Regulation of Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of findings by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care in the Involving People Plan that 7% of older people in care homes and 38% of people using services generally are aware of the national care standards, whether it is content with the levels of awareness among older people, their carers and families of the standards that they should expect.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care in the Involving People Plan that 7% of older people in care homes and 37% people who use the services generally are aware of the national care standards, what action is being taken to address the levels of awareness.

Nicola Sturgeon: Awareness of the National Care Standards was measured at 15% in a survey of the general population in November 2004. The Scottish Government launched a campaign to raise awareness of the National Care Standards on 30 June 2008. This included television, radio and press advertising and a national theatre tour which visited care homes for older people and day care centres across Scotland. A campaign helpline and website was also set up. Promotional leaflets and posters were widely distributed to venues, including every GP surgery in Scotland and day care centres.

  Research carried out in late August 2008 near the end of the first phase of the campaign indicated that awareness of the National Care Standards in the general population had more than doubled. Demand for copies of the appropriate National Care Standards increased by an average of 170% during the first phase of the campaign.

  Phase two of the campaign was launched on 2 February 2009. It includes all the elements of the first phase plus engagement with social work professionals aimed at encouraging them to make their clients aware of the standards and how to use them.

  We intend to re-measure awareness levels when the campaign concludes in April.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative is expected to provide under the 2008-09 budget.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government expects to provide around 1,200 grants under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative under the 2008-09 budget.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what technologies were supported by each grant awarded under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative in each year since its introduction.

Jim Mather: The number of grants awarded for each technology supported under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative, and broken down by year, are listed in the following tables:

  Household Stream

  

 
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09
 Total


 Air Source Heat Pumps
 0
 0
 0
 16
 48
 136
 200


 Bio Mass
 4
 14
 31
 47
 64
 96
 256


 Ground Source Heat Pumps
 10
 89
 179
 271
 286
 285
 1,120


 Hydro
 0
 1
 3
 2
 4
 0
 10


 Lerwick District Heating
 0
 42
 15
 18
 31
 16
 122


 Solar Hot Water
 71
 106
 207
 368
 392
 358
 1,502


 Solar Hot Water/Wind
 1
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 2


 Solar PV
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 8
 8


 Solar Space Heating
 0
 1
 0
 1
 0
 3
 5


 Wind
 9
 10
 21
 51
 66
 48
 205



  Community Stream

  

 
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Total


Solar Water
1
12
9
15
42
36
50
165


Solar Water/Air
1
13
8
7
0
9
9
47


Solar PV
0
1
4
4
0
4
4
17


Solar Water/GSHP
2
0
0
2
2
2
2
10


Wind
0
17
17
19
59
65
69
246


Wind/GSHP
0
0
2
2
0
3
3
10


Wind/Solar
0
2
3
3
0
4
6
18



  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 Total


 Ground Source Heat Pumps
 0
 10
 22
 18
 44
 53
 194


 Air Source Heat Pumps
 0
 0
 1
 1
 1
 13
 40


 Water Source Heat Pumps
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 2


 GSHP/Wind/Solar
 0
 10
 5
 0
 7
 7
 41


 Hydro
 0
 6
 7
 6
 6
 5
 38


 Bio Mass
 4
 16
 27
 22
 26
 17
 160


 Hydrogen
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1
 1
 5


 Whole Island
 0
 0
 0
 1
 2
 2
 7



  Under the Community Stream grants are also offered to improve the energy efficiency of the building.

  Energy Efficiency Grants

  

 
Insulation
Loft Insulation


2008-09
5
7


2007-08
14
0


2006-07
10
0


2005-06
11
0


2004-05
9
0


2003-04
0
0


Total
49
7

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for grants there have been under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative in 2008-09 and for what technologies the applications were made.

Jim Mather: There have been 1,204 applications for grants under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative in 2008-09. These applications are listed by category in the following table:

  

Household
1,101


Community
89


Energy Efficiency
14


Total 
1,204



  The breakdown by technology for each of the grant categories is listed in following tables:

  Household Stream

  

Air source heat pumps
152


Biomass
117


Ground source heat pumps
319


Hydro
0


Lerwick district heating
18


Solar hot water
425


Solar hot water / wind
0


Solar PV
11


Solar space heating
4


Wind
55


Total
1101



  Community Stream

  

Solar water
22


Solar Water / air
1


Solar PV
0


Solar water / ground source heat pump
0


Wind
18


Wind / ground source heat pump
0


Wind / solar
1


Ground source heat pump
7


Air source heat pump
21


Water source heat pump
0


Ground source heat pump / wind / solar
13


Hydro
2


Biomass
4


Hydrogen
0


Whole island
0


Total
89



  Under the Community Stream, grants are also offered to improve the energy efficiency of the building:

  Energy Efficiency Grant applications in 2008-09

  

Insulation
12


Loft insulation
2


Total
14

Scottish Government Directorates

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what translation and interpretation services are available to its directorates.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government Directorates have access to a central Translator’s database, via the intranet. This contains names of 49 internal staff willing to provide verbal and/or written translations, along with 38 external providers of these services. 82 languages are offered to differing skill/technical levels. Directorates have responsibility for commissioning services from the information provided, or are free to source their own alternative services. RR Donnelly are contracted to provide interpretation services for publications.

Scottish Government Estate

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what land and property assets it has (a) acquired and (b) disposed of since May 2007.

John Swinney: The land and property assets (a) acquired and (b) disposed of by the Scottish Government core estate since May 2007 are as follows:

  (a) Land and buildings acquired: none.

  (b) Land and buildings disposed of:

  one hundred and sixty-seven crofting properties

  two lowland properties comprising one holding and one dwelling house.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any discretionary funds have been exhausted at universities or colleges in the last two academic years and, if so, which funds and which institutions.

Fiona Hyslop: Higher Education Discretionary Fund allocations for each year are intended to provide institutions with a source of additional funding which they can then use to assist students in financial difficulty and who are at risk of not completing their course. The funds are intended to be spent within the year in which they are allocated, thus providing the maximum sum available to students in each individual year. Any unspent funds are returned for redistribution in the following academic year and are thus put straight back into the discretionary funds system.

  The vast majority of funds should therefore be exhausted in the academic year for which they are allocated.

  Academic Year 2006-07

  A total of five institutions exhausted both their Higher Education Discretionary and Childcare Funds. These were:

  Ayr College

  Barony College

  Glasgow Metropolitan College

  North Glasgow College

  Reid Kerr College.

  A further five institutions exhausted only their Discretionary Fund allocation:

  Banff and Buchan College

  John Wheatley College

  Newbattle Abbey College

  Edinburgh College of Art

  St Andrews University

  A further three institutions exhausted only their Childcare Fund:

  Borders College

  Queen Margaret University College

  RSAMD.

  Academic Year 2007-08

  A total of three institutions exhausted both their Higher Education Discretionary and Childcare Funds:

  Barony College

  Dundee College

  Reid Kerr College.

  A further three institutions exhausted only their Discretionary Fund allocation:

  Edinburgh’s Telford College

  John Wheatley College

  Newbattle Abbey College.

  A further eight institutions exhausted only their Childcare Fund:

  Borders College

  Glasgow Metropolitan College

  Oatridge Agricultural College

  Stow College

  Glasgow School of Art

  Heriot Watt University

  RSAMD

  Strathclyde University.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to make a reallocation of discretionary funds among (a) universities and (b) colleges and which types of discretionary funds will be reallocated.

Fiona Hyslop: An in-year reallocation of Higher Education Discretionary Funds takes place in late January or early February each year. This year the reallocation process was completed by 13 February 2009. This re-allocation of funds is for higher education students in both colleges and universities. The Higher Education Discretionary Funds consist of:

  The Undergraduate Discretionary Fund

  The Postgraduate Discretionary Fund

  The Part-time Discretionary Fund

  The Childcare Discretionary Fund.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether discretionary funds will meet demand among students in 2008-09.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided sufficient discretionary funding to prevent student hardship in 2008-09.

Fiona Hyslop: The purpose of discretionary funds is not to meet every financial demand from every student. They are intended to provide institutions with a source of additional funding which colleges and universities can then use to assist students in financial difficulty and who are at risk of not completing their courses.

Tourism

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding is being made available to promote walking and walking tourism during Homecoming Scotland 2009.

Jim Mather: There is no dedicated additional funding for the promotion of walking during the Homecoming Year, however, walking is already heavily promoted by VisitScotland across a wide range of marketing activities and walking features within the Homecoming programme with 16 separate walking events. £30,000 is being provided towards the Homecoming: The John Muir Odyssey in East Lothian from April to June and £7,000 towards In the Footsteps of the Reivers in the Borders in September. In addition, there are further events in the Homecoming programme that contain walking activities, including The Outsider festival in June which is receiving £30,000.

Voluntary Organisations

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been allocated from the Scottish Investment Fund to assist third sector enterprises since 1 September 2008.

Jim Mather: Since 1 September 2008, two awards totalling £925,000 have been made to third sector organisations from the Scottish Investment Fund.

Voluntary Organisations

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received from third sector enterprises for funding from the Scottish Investment Fund since 1 September 2008.

Jim Mather: Since 1 September 2008 the Scottish Investment Fund, managed by Social Investment Scotland, has received 61 applications for funding from third sector organisations.

Voluntary Organisations

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which third sector enterprises based in Aberdeen have applied for funding from the Scottish Investment Fund since 1 September 2008.

Jim Mather: Since 1 September 2008 the Scottish Investment Fund, managed by Social Investment Scotland, has received three applications from third sector organisations based in Aberdeen.

Voluntary Organisations

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which third sector enterprises based in Aberdeen have been successful in applying for funding from the Scottish Investment Fund since 1 September 2008 and how much each group received.

Jim Mather: All Aberdeen based third sector applicants to the Scottish Investment Fund, managed by Social Investment Scotland, are currently progressing through the investment assessment process.

Voluntary Organisations

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which Aberdeen-based third sector enterprises have been unsuccessful in applications for funding from the Scottish Investment Fund since 1 September 2008.

Jim Mather: None to date. However, it would be inappropriate for Scottish Government to name unsuccessful applicants to the Scottish Investment Fund without prior agreement.

Voluntary Organisations

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement in a press release of 16 April 2008 that Aye Can would reopen on 1 August 2008, when it expects Aye Can to reopen and whether it proposes to make a statement to the Parliament on the matter.

Jim Mather: In June 2008, Aberdeen City Council agreed to the transfer of Aye Can to Inspire, a third sector organisation based in Aberdeen. Inspire expects to open the new Aye Can in April 2009. As with most new ventures there have been some unexpected delays, however the majority of these have now been overcome. It would not be appropriate to make a statement to Parliament on the matter as this is a commercial arrangement between Aberdeen City Council and Inspire.

Voluntary Organisations

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make transitional funding available to the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme.

Jim Mather: We understand that the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme of CSV has been pursuing funding possibilities with a variety of sources as its current funding from the Scottish Government comes to its expected and planned close. The services which RSVP offers in the form of co-ordination and support to volunteers may be useful to community planning partnerships in delivering elements of their single outcome agreements.

Voluntary Organisations

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to South Lanarkshire Council to support the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme after March 2009.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers that the removal of services provided by the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme would have on the people of Clydesdale.

Jim Mather: It is for the local authority and community planning partnership to decide on how to address their local service delivery priorities. The services RSVP offers, supporting and co-ordinating volunteer efforts, may be of interest in such deliberations.

Volunteering

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many volunteers there have been in each year since 1999.

Jim Mather: The essence of volunteering is that people just do it, often outside any formal setting or organisation, and without any requirement to register. Consequently there can be no precise quantification of the numbers.

  Research by Volunteering Development Scotland suggests that the number of volunteers in Scotland lies in the range 1.3 to 2 million. The Scottish Household Survey also collects some information about rates of volunteering.

Volunteering

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many volunteer groups there have been in each year since 1999.

Jim Mather: The number of voluntary organisations in Scotland, which by definition will use volunteers in some capacity, can not be identified with accuracy. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has estimated there may be about 45,000 and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has over 23,800 charities on its register. However, neither of these figures will include the huge number of informal local groups who come together to pursue a common interest.

Volunteering

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons it has decided to stop providing ring-fenced national funding for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme.

Jim Mather: A three-year fixed term grant of £1,023,000 was awarded on 15 March 2006 to Community Service Volunteers (CSV) to assist the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme which has now come to its expected and planned end.

Wildlife

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will press ahead with its plans to release beavers into the wild and, if so, when it will do so and how it will ensure that the animals can live in harmony with forestry.

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Knapdale Woods remains a special area of conservation and, if so, whether it is appropriate to release beavers into that area.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Society plan to release beavers is subject to a licence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. An appropriate assessment of the proposals undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH as a result of which, and on the advice of SNH, the licence includes a number of conditions intended to safeguard significant environmental interests including those which relate to the interests of the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA).

Wildlife

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an intervention such as the release of beavers into a special area of conservation would infringe the EU habitats directive.

Roseanna Cunningham: Any release of beavers into the wild would require a licence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended. In advising ministers on any such licence, Scottish Natural Heritage would consider the potential effects on any special area of conservation and that consideration would be reflected in recommendations for conditions to be attached to the licence.

Wildlife

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether beavers released into the wild in Scotland would be a protected species, meaning that it would be illegal to kill individual beavers.

Roseanna Cunningham: Informal guidance from the European Commission has clarified their view that small populations of an animal species introduced deliberately or accidentally by man to locations to which they would not have spread naturally in the foreseeable future, should be considered to be outside their natural range. Consequently, any animals released in this way would not be covered by the provisions in domestic legislation which implement the strict protection measures specified in Article 12 of the Habitats Directive and which apply to species identified in Annex IV of the Directive including the beaver ( castor fiber ).

Wildlife

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken since May 2007 to enhance the protection of birds of prey.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is implementing the recommendations of the review of the arrangements for preventing, detecting and prosecuting wildlife crime "Natural Justice". Revitalising the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime and strengthening law enforcement in this area will have a beneficial effect on birds of prey, which historically have been subject to significant levels of criminal activity.

  The Scottish Government is currently consulting on improvements to legislative protection which could be achieved by extending Schedules 1A and A1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to provide year-round protection for nesting sites and protection from harassment for specified birds, including some birds of prey of high conservation value.

  The Scottish Government has also classified the following Special Protection Areas (SPAs) under the EU Wild Birds Directive for birds of prey since May 2007: Renfrewshire Heights (classified December 2007 for breeding hen harrier), Strath Carnaig and Strath Fleet Moors (classified July 2008 for breeding hen harrier) and an extension to the Orkney Mainland Moors SPA (classified in July 2008 for breeding hen harrier and short-eared owl as well as for breeding red-throated diver).

Young Offenders

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the longest period of detention was while awaiting a place in (a) secure accommodation and (b) an adult prison or young offenders institution in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: (a) A sentenced child may be temporarily held in a young offenders’ institution if at the time of sentencing by the court there is no place available in secure accommodation. The longest period that a sentenced child has been detained in these circumstances is:

  2006 – 1 day

  2007 – nil

  2008 – 24 days.

  The period of 24 days in 2008 was due to the closure of one of the secure units which resulted in a temporary loss of 30 places in the secure estate.

  It is the joint responsibility of local authorities and Scottish Government, as the purchasers of secure accommodation, to ensure sufficient places to meet the needs of young people in Scotland. The Scottish Government are continuing to work closely and imaginatively with providers and local authorities to ensure that this first class accommodation continues to be put to good use in improving the outcomes of young people and their communities.

  (b) This information is not held centrally.

Young Offenders

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provides for programmes in young offenders institutions aimed at tackling prisoners’ learning disabilities.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS is committed to providing equality of opportunity for all young offenders and where possible seeks to provide young offenders with access to a wide variety of learning opportunities tailored to their needs. For example our education providers have access to a wide range of educational tools which enable them to respond to individual learning requirements.

  A very specific example of how HMYOI Polmont has supported young offenders with learning disabilities is through the provision of an on-site speech and language therapy service, which is provided two days a week. Local NHS Community Speech and Language Therapy Services provide similar support to young offenders located at HMP and YOI Cornton Vale and Friarton young offenders annex at HMP Perth. The primary role of the speech and language service is to provide direct intervention for communication disorders.